It happens to everyone Hermank, often the date of the message is not noticed. It is all too clear that you were in perfect good faith.

Now if you want to joke a little, give us your size for the shirts that RossM will make for us.

Rnin munich
i m terribly sorry for this mis_reading and i apoligise to very body i have insulted; mea culpa mea culpa. i thought it was a recent remark

Hi Fred, I don't envy you at all, it looks like you expect hard work.
I prefer to create from scratch, in my opinion restoration is a much more difficult art, I really admire you.
Anyway it's a nice model, it's worth it, good luck and have fun.

Looks like you've got a bit of work there Fred, have fun. 👍

Oops!🤔
Herman,
Colin's post below is from 4 years ago! Things were very different then, for all of us.
Doug😎

Colin a good afternoon
All of a sudden a remark from you!!!
I hope life is more bright to you and your family.
Good to be back
👍

Hi One and All
So four years ago I got my hands on this Smit, she has been laying in the garage/ workshop since then, so yesterday (22/08/2024) I took pity on her, I removed all the elec's that will be replaced with new, then out came the hot air gun, and I started to strip off all the paint, that is when I found that at some time in the build she has had her bottom coved in glass fiber.
Now like all good restorers I have taken care to keep all the parts that I have removed save, by just putting them all into a large box, yes I know will I remember just what went were when the time come to put it all back, I think no, so my next job this weekend it to try and sort them out into bags marked with were they come from.
Fred

Hi Fred,
The paint work on the Joffe doesn't look at all bad to me.
Just a bit 'used' as hard working tugs should look👍
I wouldn't mess with it.

The Smit's problems are not so much with the paint work itself but the preparation underneath☹️ You can still see wood grain where there shouldn't be any!
Just another coat of paint won't change that I'm afraid🤔
I'm afraid you've got a bit of sanding ahead of you!

Sorry to hear of your colleague's loss. My commiserations.
I know how he must have felt. I lost my 20 year old daughter in 2000.
Cheers, Doug 😎

Well done Fred, it's good to see others rescuing these wondefull models.
Cheers Colin

The other one is a Billing Boats 1:75 Scale "Smit Rotterdam Ocean Going Tug Boat".

I am thinking of calling her "Smit London" will have to do some repaint on her.

Fred